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current_story:threading_the_needle_part_3 [2021/02/13 16:25] cromwellcurrent_story:threading_the_needle_part_3 [2021/08/08 14:12] (current) cromwell
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-~~DISCUSSION~~ 
 ====== Threading the Needle, Part 3 ====== ====== Threading the Needle, Part 3 ======
  
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 "We are," Y'lair claimed firmly.  "I verified my calculations with Doctor Virtus over a dozen times." "We are," Y'lair claimed firmly.  "I verified my calculations with Doctor Virtus over a dozen times."
  
-//"We'll find out soon enough,"// Theo announced.  //"Scopes are picking up a vessel moving at warp seven on course for Lojurus, dead ahead and approaching rapidly.  Estimating one minute to intercept."//+//"We'll find out soon enough,"// Theo announced.  //"Scopes are picking up a vessel moving at warp seven on course for Lojurus, dead ahead and approaching rapidly.  Estimating one minute shipboard to intercept."//
  
 Activating the small televiewer in the sickbay, Saal and Y'lair watched as the image of the Galaxy Class USS Republic came into view.  It was a strange sight, especially since the vessel was moving backwards in warp space, causing the starlines around the ship to move in reverse.  As time slowed down even further, the reversed starlines slowed to a crawl before nearly stopping. Activating the small televiewer in the sickbay, Saal and Y'lair watched as the image of the Galaxy Class USS Republic came into view.  It was a strange sight, especially since the vessel was moving backwards in warp space, causing the starlines around the ship to move in reverse.  As time slowed down even further, the reversed starlines slowed to a crawl before nearly stopping.
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 "Can you confirm there's no katra in it?" Saal immediately asked of the newly arrived body. "Can you confirm there's no katra in it?" Saal immediately asked of the newly arrived body.
  
-Y'lair released the transporter controls and quickly placed an outspread hand over the left side of the immobile John Carter from the USS Republic universe.  Nervously, Saal watched as the Republic sped off on it's original course while the Aerosprite exited apogee and began it's turn back towards the Iconian homeworld.  The wall-mounted chronometer began to slowly change course, moving forward once again.  Slowly at first, then picking up speed a second later.  +Y'lair released the transporter controls and quickly placed an outspread hand over the left side of the face of the immobile John Carter from the USS Republic universe.  Nervously, Saal watched as the Republic sped off on it's original course while the Aerosprite exited apogee and began it's turn back towards the Iconian homeworld.  The wall-mounted chronometer changed course, moving forward once again.  Slowly at first, then picking up speed a second later.  
  
-"No," Y'lair confirmed to Saal's relief.  "It's an empty shell.  I shall now proceed to make the transfer."  While maintaining his meld with the USS Republic John Carter, Y'lair placed his other hand over the right side of the mirror universe John Carter, slipping into a focused trance to meld with the minds of both bodies.+"No," Y'lair confirmed to Saal's relief.  "It's an empty shell.  I shall now proceed to make the transfer."  While maintaining his meld with the USS Republic John Carter, Y'lair placed his other hand over the right side face of the mirror universe John Carter, slipping into a focused trance to meld with the minds of both bodies.
  
 In the meantime, Saal reported back to Theo on the flight deck. In the meantime, Saal reported back to Theo on the flight deck.
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 "How long until we need to engage the transporter?" "How long until we need to engage the transporter?"
  
-//"About a minute after we pass the pulsar,"// he replied.  //"We have a five second interval between stardates fifty-seven-four-five-oh and fifty-seven-four-nine-oh to transport him back into his universe before we super-accelerate back to the Iconian Gateway.  There'll be a Tellarite ore processing station within transporter range during that time window.  We'll drop him off there."//+//"About a minute shipboard after we pass the pulsar,"// he replied.  //"We have a five second interval between stardates fifty-seven-four-five-oh and fifty-seven-four-nine-oh to transport him back into his universe before we super-accelerate back to the Iconian Gateway.  There'll be a Tellarite ore processing station within transporter range during that time window.  We'll drop him off there."//
  
 "They didn't leave us much leeway, did they?" he commented, looking at the transfixed Y'lair, his eyes firmly shut in a Vulcan mediative state. "They didn't leave us much leeway, did they?" he commented, looking at the transfixed Y'lair, his eyes firmly shut in a Vulcan mediative state.
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
 \\  \\ 
-In the first few front rows, familiar couples sat in observance of the ceremony.  Starfleet personnel wore their dress white uniforms, while civilian attendees donned formal wear.  Together in the front row were Captain Theodore Stryker and his wife, Doctor Shannon Harris, along with other current and former HMS Republic crew and their partners.  A close friend of Carter, Captain Myrr Tana, sat next to her husband, Doctor Leon Cromwell, both of whom sat next to Lieutenant Nathan Hawk and his spouse, Leah Warner of the Confederation News Service.  In the row behind, Commander Victor Virtus was seated next to Lieutenant Casey Tanaka of the HMS Devonshire, while Vice Admiral Kate Shelby and her husband, Captain Douglas Forrest, were seated aside Doctor Saal Yezbeck and his wife Edith.  The rest of the audience were a mix of humans and aliens of varying persuasion, all gathered to attend the bride and groom on their special day.+In the first few front rows, familiar couples sat in observance of the ceremony.  Starfleet personnel wore their dress white uniforms, while civilian attendees donned formal wear.  Together in the front row were Captain Theodore Stryker and his wife, Doctor Shannon Harris, along with other current and former HMS Republic crew and their partners.  A close friend of Carter, Captain Myrr Tana, sat next to her husband, Doctor Leon Cromwell, both of whom sat next to Lieutenant Nathan Hawk and his spouse, Leah Warner of the Confederation News Service.  In the row behind, Commander Victor Virtus was seated next to Lieutenant Commander Casey Tanaka of the HMS Devonshire, while Vice Admiral Kate Shelby and her husband, Captain Douglas Forrest, were seated aside Doctor Saal Yezbeck and his wife Edith.  The rest of the audience were a mix of humans and aliens of varying persuasion, all gathered to attend the bride and groom on their special day.
  
 The ceremony had reached it's apex, as cultural etiquette was met, and the admiral finished her sermon after reading from a leather-bound copy of the Articles of Confederation laid open on the podium in front of her. The ceremony had reached it's apex, as cultural etiquette was met, and the admiral finished her sermon after reading from a leather-bound copy of the Articles of Confederation laid open on the podium in front of her.
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 "Indeterminate due to interference," the technician at the communications station explained.  "But I think all field personnel managed to activate their escape transceivers.  I'm not picking up any distress beacons." "Indeterminate due to interference," the technician at the communications station explained.  "But I think all field personnel managed to activate their escape transceivers.  I'm not picking up any distress beacons."
  
-Back on the command platform, the older first officer released a held breath.  "That was close," he stated the obvious.  "Should we circle back and attempt to remediate?"+Back on the command platform, the older first officer released a held breath.  "That was close," he stated the obvious.  "Should we circle back to Node 0001 and attempt to remediate?"
  
 "No," Daniels said firmly.  "THAT quantum reality is now compromised.  There's nothing more we can do there." "No," Daniels said firmly.  "THAT quantum reality is now compromised.  There's nothing more we can do there."
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 //"It doesn't matter,"// Riker baited him with a poisonous smile. //"All you did was put ME in command now.  If I were you, Carter, I'd make amends with whatever gods you believe in, because YOU are about to DIE!"// //"It doesn't matter,"// Riker baited him with a poisonous smile. //"All you did was put ME in command now.  If I were you, Carter, I'd make amends with whatever gods you believe in, because YOU are about to DIE!"//
  
-"It doesn't take bravery to order all of your ships away from Sol Three to fight me, Riker," John chided cryptically.  "Just stupidity."  Turning to look at Doug Forrest at the communications console, John nodded a non-verbal order to him, signalling him to execute a previously-prepared battle plan.+"It doesn't take bravery to order all of your ships away from Sol Three to fight me, Riker," John chided cryptically.  "Just stupidity."  Turning to look at Doug Forrest at the communications console, John nodded a non-verbal order, signalling  permission to execute a previously-prepared battle plan.
  
-As for Forrest, the red glow from his cyber-enhanced left eye pulsated ominously, giving his partially-robotic facial implant the appearance of a Borg drone while his mechanical right arm dialed in a set of codes that were transmitted over a different set of subspace channels.+As for Forrest, the red glow from his cyber-enhanced left eye pulsated ominously, giving his partially-robotic facial implant the appearance of a Borg drone while his mechanical right arm dialed in a set of codes that transmitted over a digital subspace signal.
  
-Above their heads, at about the same altitude as the Terran fleet, a shimmering green field shimmered briefly followed by the de-cloaking of a large, egg-shaped vessel a few kilometers long.  It was a design unlike any other starship, as it's hull was not metal, but a substance that closely resembled a brown, rough-hewn stone.  It's surface contained irregularly-shaped rings around the circumference, spaced at regular intervals, giving the impression of tree rings rather than superstructure.  From underneath each irregular "ring", a soft amber light glowed, signifying the existence of an unknown energy source just below the surface.+Above their heads, at about the same altitude as the Terran fleet, an emerald green energy field shimmered briefly followed by the de-cloaking of a large, egg-shaped vessel a few kilometers long.  It was a design unlike any other starship, as it's hull was not metal, but a substance that closely resembled a brown, rough-hewn stone.  It's surface contained irregularly-shaped rings around the circumference, spaced at regular intervals, giving the impression of tree rings rather than superstructure.  From underneath each irregular "ring", a soft amber light glowed, signifying the existence of an unknown energy source just below the surface.
  
 While alien to some, the egg-shaped ship was quite familiar to Will Riker, and as dawning recognition spread across his face, John Carter smiled with sweet vengeance. While alien to some, the egg-shaped ship was quite familiar to Will Riker, and as dawning recognition spread across his face, John Carter smiled with sweet vengeance.
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 //"Noooooo!"// Riker screamed indignantly over the comlink.  They were his last words before he perished. //"Noooooo!"// Riker screamed indignantly over the comlink.  They were his last words before he perished.
  
-The egg-shaped vessel immediately spun on it's radial axis, creating a translucent toroidal shock wave of luminescent white that spread out in all directions.  Spears of incandescent energy shot out ahead of the expanding toroid, moving along its plane, and tearing through each Terran vessel it came in contact with.  One by one, the Starfleet vessels that were once in tight military formation around Carter's space platform scattered in chaotic retreat at the oncoming wave of energy.  However, their attempt at escape came too late as the shockwave overcame them.  By the time the egg-shaped spacecraft stopped spinning, every Terran vessel in orbit was ripped to shreds.+The egg-shaped vessel immediately spun on it's radial axis, creating a translucent toroidal shock wave of luminescent white that spread out in all directions.  Regularly spaced spears of incandescent energy shot out ahead of the expanding toroid, moving along its plane, and tearing through each Terran vessel it came in contact with.  One by one, the Starfleet vessels that were once in tight military formation around Carter's space platform scattered in chaotic retreat at the oncoming wave of energy.  However, their attempt at escape came too late as the shockwave overcame them.  By the time the egg-shaped spacecraft stopped spinning, every Terran vessel in orbit was ripped to shreds.
  
 Carter allowed himself a moment of laughter at the unfolding carnage.  He watched in glee as his enemy vanquished before his eyes, feeling the seething taste of victory swell forth from his dark and twisted soul.  His victory assured, a moment of silence passed before the comm system came to life, and a boyish human face with penetrating black eyes looked back at him on the screen.  He too shared Carter's expression of conquest, his red hair and bushy eyebrows accentuating the gleaming triumph in his face. Carter allowed himself a moment of laughter at the unfolding carnage.  He watched in glee as his enemy vanquished before his eyes, feeling the seething taste of victory swell forth from his dark and twisted soul.  His victory assured, a moment of silence passed before the comm system came to life, and a boyish human face with penetrating black eyes looked back at him on the screen.  He too shared Carter's expression of conquest, his red hair and bushy eyebrows accentuating the gleaming triumph in his face.
current_story/threading_the_needle_part_3.1613233509.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/02/13 16:25 by cromwell